Top 10 Best Musicals of the 2010s
For this list, we're looking at our absolute favorite stage musicals that premiered between 2010 and today.
#10: “Mean Girls”
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One of the major trends that's appeared lately in musical theater lately is taking popular films and adapting them for the stage. A perfect example is “Mean Girls”, which is based on the cult favorite 2004 film of the same name. The production first kicked off at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. in 2017 and the following year debuted on Broadway. Tina Fey wrote the script for the movie, and was also heavily involved in the production of the musical, writing the book though not the music. Since the original film wasn’t a musical, it was interesting to see the adaptation try its hand at creating original songs, and they totally pulled it off.
#9: “Fun Home”
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Alison Bechdel, who is best known for creating the Bechdel Test, is a cartoonist who wrote about her experience with her sexual orientation in her graphic novel “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic”. The story was adapted for the stage and became the first Broadway musical with a lesbian protagonist. “Fun Home” was unlike anything audiences had seen before when it debuted, and it ended up taking home the Tony Award for Best Musical. The subject matter is darker than we typically see in a musical, but that’s what makes this one all the more compelling.
#8: “Something Rotten!”
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Many of the most popular musicals are set in the past, but very few actually go quite this far back in history. “Something Rotten!” stands out among its peers because it takes place in 1595 and tells the story of two brothers who are trying to make it in the world of theater, but are dealing with competition in the form of a well-known playwright named William Shakespeare. The show was created by John O'Farrell, Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick and ended up being nominated for ten Tony Awards. Admittedly, it only ran from 2015 to 2017, but it’s still sure to be well remembered.
#7: “Matilda the Musical”
You’re probably familiar with the story of “Matilda” from the 1996 film starring Mara Wilson, which was based on a children’s novel by Roald Dahl. The musical version of the story debuted on Broadway in 2013 after being performed in the UK for several years. It’s a tale that lends itself well to the stage, because of all of the fantastical elements involved due to Matilda’s telekinesis abilities. The show was well reviewed both in London and New York, with Elisabeth Vincentelli of review New York Post even saying, "Once in a blue moon, a show comes out blazing and restores your faith in Broadway.”
#6: “Kinky Boots”
Following the trend of musicals based on movies, “Kinky Boots” came out on Broadway the same year as “Matilda” and was adapted from the 2005 film. Though the story may seem like an incredible one, it’s actually based on the true life tale of a man who inherits a shoe factory and then makes a partnership with a drag queen in order to bring the business to success. It took home several Tonys including Best Musical and was lauded by critics, many of whom said that the production added to the discourse on gender identity in the modern day.
#5: “Newsies”
A surefire way to have a successful stage musical is to take a Disney movie musical and adapt it. It worked for “Aladdin” and it certainly worked for “Frozen”, but one of our favorite examples from this decade has been “Newsies”. The story tells a fictionalized version of the real life Newsboys Strike of 1899, in which newsboys fought for better compensation for their work. The show features a fun plot and excellent music, and many would argue that it’s actually better than the film on which it’s based, which is saying a lot!
#4: “Come from Away”
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Following the infamous September 11th attacks, 38 airplanes were grounded in Gander, Newfoundland. Seven thousand people were left stranded in the small town and were taken in by local residents. “Come From Away” gives this incredible true story the musical treatment, featuring characters who are mostly based on the real people involved in the events. At the 2017 Tony Awards, it garnered seven nominations and New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley said, “even the most stalwart cynics may have trouble staying dry-eyed during this portrait of heroic hospitality under extraordinary pressure.”
#3: “Dear Evan Hansen”
“Dear Evan Hansen” is a modern day musical which addresses many of the issues that teens are facing today. Centering on the titular Evan Hansen, a young boy suffering from social anxiety, the story addresses issues of mental illness, suicide and the contemporary experience of being a young person in this world. It’s no easy task to pull of a musical with a suicide at the center of it, but the end result is a production that is heartfelt, emotionally complex and that will stick with viewers for years to come.
#2: “The Book of Mormon”
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Only Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of “South Park”, could possibly create a musical about Mormons that is both hilarious and full of heart. “The Book of Mormon” has made over half a billion dollars in profits, rendering it one of the most financially and critically successful musicals of all time. It tells the story of two Mormon missionaries who are sent to Uganda, but soon realize that they’re going to have a hard time converting the locals because of the atrocious real life conditions they’re living under. One of the funniest musicals ever written, this one will have you laughing despite the traditionally serious subject matter. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Waitress” “Hadestown” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” “Once” “A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder”
#1: “Hamilton”
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We have a feeling you were all able to guess what our number one pick would be. No other musical, or even stage performance in general, can touch “Hamilton” when it comes to popularity. Calling this production a cultural phenomenon would be an understatement, as it managed to transcend the appeal that anyone thought a Broadway show could have. “Hamilton” took a look at history with a twist, by making the Founding Fathers people of color, and using rap and R&B to tell their stories. If you still haven’t managed to snag tickets to see this production, are you even a real Broadway fan?
